Sri Lanka treads cautiously into 5G Future amid geopolitical concerns over Huawei

• Huawei signed an agreement to digitize Sri Lankan schools
• By 2025, more than 6Bn, or 75% of the world’s population, will interact with data every day
• 5G technology is poised to transform every aspect of life  

By Kelum Bandara 

Sri Lanka is to take a cautious approach in the  introduction of 5G technology to navigate geopolitical rivalry to be  triggered by the involvement of China’s Huawei, a Minister said.   

5G race is an already established term in  international politics. 5G or the 5th generation wireless  technology is poised to transform every aspect of life since it will  introduce applications such as self-driving cars, buses, and trains,  telesurgery which will connect surgeons and patients in great distances  and smart home devices, public services, and smart city applications  (i.e. smart water and sewage systems).   

According to a study, by 2025 more than 6 billion, or 75%  of the world’s population will interact with data every day, and each  connected person will have at least one data interaction every 18  seconds.   Sri Lanka is taking steps for the proper expansion of 5G technology in the country starting from next year.  

President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited Huawei’s research  and development centre during his recent tour. Chinese technological  giant Huawei signed an agreement with President Wickremesinghe to  digitise Sri Lankan schools during his four-day visit to China.  
However, the government is to take cautious, calculated  steps in tying up with them in the introduction of 5G technology in  partnership with any multinational company because of geopolitical  rivalry.   

Asked for a comment in this regard, State Minister Kanaka  Herath who is in charge of the subject said Sri Lanka is mindful of  geopolitical tension involved in the process and will decide in this  regard without being caught in any rivalry.   

He said that no country had registered its protest over teaming up with any technological giant at the moment.  
“Yet, we know what is in store if we make a move. Will make a cautious approach,” he said.